As the French approach, the British lines…
September 1759 CE
Wolfe had devised a firing method for stopping French column advances in 1755 that calls for the centers—in this case, the 43rd and 47th Foot regiments—to hold fire while waiting for the advancing force to approach within thirty yards (twenty-seven meters), then open fire at close range.
The French hold their fire and both armies wait for two or three minutes.
The French finally fire two disorganized volleys.
Wolfe has ordered his soldiers to charge their muskets with two balls each in preparation for the engagement.
Captain John Knox, serving with the 43rd Foot, will write in his journal that as the French came within range, the regiments "gave them, with great calmness, as remarkable a close and heavy discharge as I ever saw."
After the first volley, the British lines march forward a few paces towards the shocked French force and fire a second general volley that shatters the attackers and sends them into retreat.
Wolfe, positioned with the 28th Foot and the Louisbourg Grenadiers, has moved to a rise to observe the battle; he had been struck in the wrist early in the fight, but had wrapped the injury and continued on.
Volunteer James Henderson, with the Louisbourg Grenadiers, has been tasked with holding the hill, and will report afterwards that within moments of the command to fire, Wolfe was struck with two shots, one low in the stomach and the second, a mortal wound in the chest.
Knox will write that one of the soldiers near Wolfe shouted "They run, see how they run."
Wolfe, on the ground, opens his eyes and asks who is running.
Upon being told that the French had broken, he gives several orders, then turns on his side and said "Now, God be praised, I will die in peace", and died.
With Wolfe dead and several other key officers injured, British troops fall into a disorganized pursuit of the retreating French troops.
The 78th Fraser Highlanders are ordered by Brigadier-General James Murray to pursue the French with their swords, but are met near the city by a heavy fire from a floating battery covering the bridge over the St. Charles River as well as militia that remain in the trees.
The 78th takes the highest number of casualties of all British units in the battle.
Townshend takes charge of the British forces and realizes that Bougainville's column is approaching from the British rear, having taken some time to arrive from Cap Rouge.
He quickly forms up two battalions from the confused troops on the field and turns them to meet the oncoming French, a day-saving maneuver; instead of attacking with a well rested and ready force, Bougainville retreats while the rest of Montcalm's army slips back across the St. Charles.
During the retreat, Montcalm, still mounted, is struck by either canister shot from the British artillery or repeated musket fire, suffering injuries to the lower abdomen and thigh.
He is able to make it back into the city, but his wounds are mortal and he will die early the next morning. He will be buried in a shell crater left in the floor of the Ursuline chapel by a British shell.
The battle results in similar numbers of casualties on both sides of the field; the French have six hundred and forty-four men killed or injured, while the British are left with six hundred and fifty-eight killed or wounded.
People
François-Charles de Bourlamaque
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James Cook
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James Wolfe
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Jeffery Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst
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Louis-Antoine de Bougainville
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Louis-Joseph de Montcalm
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Pierre de Rigaud de Vaudreuil de Cavagnal, Marquis de Vaudreuil
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Robert Rogers
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Thomas Gage
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William Johnson, 1st Baronet
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William Pitt
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